Do Mafias Control the Criminal World? A Network Perspective
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12808239 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Toine Spapens (0000-0003-3110-8738, Politieacademie, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2012 |
| Publication date | 2012-01-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | SSRN Electronic Journal (REPOSITORY) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1556-5068 • E-ISSN: 1556-5068 |
| Publisher | RELX Group (Netherlands) (PUBLISHER • NL) |
| DOI | 10.2139/ssrn.2089733 |
| OpenAlex | W1730157688 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 5 |
One of the major differences between mafia-type criminal organizations and other crime groups postulated in the 1960s by criminologists such as Cressey and Schelling is that mafias “control” parts of the criminal world. Since then, others have fiercely criticized this assumption and nowadays, the “disorganized” nature of organized crime in states with an effective criminal justice system, in which no specific crime group stands out, seems to be widely accepted. However, even when organized crime is disorganized, there are power differences between crime groups. This is particularly so when certain groups have an advantageous position in the criminal “macro network”, or because key members have specific skills (especially in organizing), good reputation and investment capital. The question addressed in this paper is whether such groups can use these assets to control parts of the underworld
| Highly cited | No |
|---|